Today’s Reflection
LITURGICAL WORSHIP IS not an end in itself. It is a portal into the heart, mind, and work of Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit to the glory of God.
I can promise that you will meet Christ in daily prayer, in festal celebrations around the year, in the experience and remembrance of baptism, and in celebration of the Eucharist.
When Jesus talks with his disciples about how to handle fractures in the church, he concludes with this promise: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matt. 18:20). I read that as both a promise and a yearning. The risen Christ yearns to be among us as a community of shared discipline and grace-filled worship. He promises to be present around font, book, and table. Your part is to include yourself in that community of open hands, hearts, and minds for the sake of Love.
– Daniel T. Benedict Jr.
Patterned by Grace: How Liturgy Shapes Us
From pages 19-20 of Patterned by Grace: How Liturgy Shapes Us by Daniel T. Benedict Jr. Copyright © 2007 by Daniel Benedict Jr. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
In what ways do you participate in liturgical worship? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture
After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four generations.
Job 42:16, NRSV
This Week: pray for expectant parents. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Howard Thurman (October 22).
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
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12 Comments
Thankful for Jill’s story, Jennifer (my daughter’s name and the name of a dear pastor), and the helpful email that has you so well supported. Prayers for Julie, her job search and situation at home, for Connie’s hymn lyrics and down home sayings-they resonate with me. Prayers for Marcy, Rusty and K.
Hope we hear from them. Thankful that Mary’s new job is doing so well.
Had to look up liturgical worship to make sure I knew what it was. It’s worship that follows a pattern according to the definition I found. I am very much a liturgical worshipper on Sundays, follow the bulletin delineated acts, pray, sing, light candls now and then, pass God’s peace – in a small congregation almost everyone gets a hand shake, give an offering, and on communion Sundays partake of the Lord’s supper. Worshipping with fellow believers is a blessing and it is one of the ways I am sustained.
Thankful for the long steady up hill walk yesterday, made it to the point in th road where it’s downhill in either direction, found a hiking trail off the road and followed that for a while too. Tough to be a walk in the woods. Back on the road, the view of snow covered ski trails in the distance was a sight. On the way home I picked up some wayside trash and not long afterwards a lady driving toward me stopped and took the trash to put in her recycling. That was quite a surprise.
Worked physically on the Bismarck and did a search for a needed part. Both efforts were only steps toward a goal.
Blessings to all the UR family, fewer posters these days, but you are still in my thoughts and prayers.
tough to beat a walk in the woods.
I do like the structure and oneness that liturgical worship offers. I especially enjoy the music and reading responses we follow in worship. The Apostles Creed is one of my favorites. The scripture quoted about “Where two or three are gathered ……” says it all.
Grateful for the change in seasons as I notice the leaves beginning to turn. Fall is coming. Robert, your walks sound like you are enjoying the out of doors this season. It is a beautiful time to be out in nature. Mary, I continue to pray for success and happiness in your new job. Thank you, Connie, for your sharing of old hymns. Why is it that I can’t always remember someone’s name, but I can recite favorite hymns from long ago? Jill, I continue to keep you and your sweet family in my prayers daily. Julie, I echo the closeness among the members of this group of Pray-ers. Blessings on each one.
Prayers for expectant mothers, for their health both physically and spiritually. I especially lift up Kelsey.
As all know I have not attended church. I am having a difficult time finding a new church because I enjoy the liturgy of the Methodist church, but I have been to almost every one in my area and none feels right. I would say my morning time is somewhat liturgical in that it follows a set schedule each morning.
Prayers for Robert and his continued good health. “Both efforts were steps to a goal.” How this sentence defines so much of our lives. Each step Robert takes on his daily walks move him along the path of good health. Each effort he makes to increase his finances is a step toward his move.
Prayers for Jill and her family. Prayers her effort to find a new friend will be a step towards her goal of accepting her mother’s reaction to her illness.
Prayers for Mary and her step of finding a new career. May it lead to her goal of less stress and more happiness and job satisfaction.
Prayers for Betsy and all the effort she has made towards her goal of leading those in prison to join Jesus’ flock.
Prayers for Connie and the effort it takes daily for her to step away from sorrow and towards a goal of gratitude for life’s coontinued joys.
Prayers for Marcy and may she be making effort and steps to a goal of good health.
Thank you for your prayers. I continue to make efforts that are steps to the goal of finding a job. I pray for God to lead me to the place He can use me to further His kingdom here on earth.
Prayers dear fellow UR family of prayers and supporters. God bless you all and all your efforts towards your goals today.
Yes, for the sake of love, I volunteered to be a befriender at the family center today.
Thanks so much dear Betsy, Julie and Robert for your prayers.
Blessings to all and for the sake of love, may we be the hands and feet of Christ.
I do enjoy “liturgicalness” in a church service. I like what the author has to say…weaving liturgical aspects together with community. I have found the depth of comfort in community these past few years and am grateful.
Liturgy resonates so strongly with me because I appreciate routine. My mornings are very rhythmic. Roger has become accustomed to our routine – I chuckle at how he is very consistent with what he does in the morning. He is up before me most days and usually rouses me by rubbing his paws on my wicker bedroom furniture. I imagine he is giving himself a paw massage. Then we venture downstairs and he waits anxiously while I get his food. He eats while I settle into my blue chair. He checks out the front window – see’s what is going on in “his” front yard then joins me in the blue chair. When I am done I pick him up and resettle him in the blue chair while I get ready to go running. Once I return from my run – he is in the side window waiting for me. He sits patiently on the toilet lid while I am in the shower. He then gets down from the lid, I lay my towel on the lid and then he gets back up on the toweled lid and sits there while I fix my hair and make-up, watching me intently, waiting for the kisses I give him. We then go downstairs together and I bid him good-bye. A good companion, my Roger.
Grateful for energy to get through a long day yesterday. Had a doctor’s appointment after school, so did not get home until Bible study was over last night. My doctor is also my parents’ doctor and I expressed gratitude to him for his patience and encouragement of my mom. He spent about 15 minutes with me just talking about mom and how I was doing with everything, before he began his exam. Grateful to know today will be fairly routine at school and will be home immediately afterwards. Grateful for the group of 5 gathering each Tuesday morning for prayer. One of the teachers lost her husband a little over a week ago – he beat cancer three times, but finally succumbed. Her first day back was yesterday. I just hugged her and she cried a bit. She is an amazing lady and I pray she is taking good care of herself and allowing others to care for and love on her.
I am so “out of the loop” liturgically-wise. I also love the Methodist Church order of worship, especially the way it was in earlier years. However, I am flexible to a certain extent. I do love The Apostle’s Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, the benediction the “old hymns”….etc. etc. etc.
Thankful for:
A nice note from a Granddaughter.
My flowers are still intact in my little corner. Blue Wild Flowers still.
“The woods are dark and deep but I have miles to go before I sleep” (from memory?)
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep”
…and miles to go before I sleep
So lovely.
Blessings and prayers.
Lord Jesus open the door to me to be with the community
Come join our “community”. Read or post, whatever you like.
thanksGod …
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